voter registration

More than $US860,000 has been budgeted for the election with the chair of the electoral commission, Martin Tete, telling the Daily Post more funding is likely to come from donor partners and other agencies.

Candidate applications open on the 21st of January, and will close six weeks before polling day -- which is scheduled for the 19th of March.

The Chairman of the Commission and Speaker of the National Parliament, Ajilon Nasiu, said the aim was to enrol all eligible people over the age of 18 prior to next year's general election.

Mr Nasiu said the existing voter list is being updated and those already on it don't need to register.

He said the update starts next month.

It's estimated some 35,000 young people are now able to register as voters.

The principal electoral officer, Charles Vatu, says voters who need new cards for January's election should go to their local registration officers to have their identity verified.

He says the office has taken measures to prevent what happened in the 2012 election, where people voted multiple times using multiple cards.

Vatu says he expects double registration will still be an issue this election, but in an effort to manage it, everyone who wishes to case a proxy vote has to be personally certified by himself.